Bill S.1575
188th (2013 - 2014)

An Act regarding community access to energy efficiency programs and green jobs

By Mr. DiDomenico, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1575) of Sal N. DiDomenico, William N. Brownsberger, James B. Eldridge, Kay Khan and other members of the General Court for legislation relative to community access to energy efficiency programs and green jobs. Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy.

Chapter 25 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2010 Official Edition, is hereby amended in section 21 by inserting after subsection (e) the following new subsections:-

(f) Energy Efficiency Program Reporting. In implementing its energy efficiency plan, each electric and natural gas distribution company program administrator and any entity that receives public subsidy and provides energy efficiency services shall, in consultation with the energy efficiency advisory council, as defined by section 22 of chapter 25 of the General Laws, and subject to the approval of the department of public utilities:

(1) Report the residential and commercial ratepayers and buildings that receive energy efficiency program benefits to the department of energy resources. The report shall specify aggregated data that includes the number of participants served per US Census Block Group; energy efficiency measures provided; program and participant dollars spent per measure; energy savings per measure; fuel type; conversion rate; and whether the residential participant is a renter or owner.

(2) Not later than January 1, 2014 and every January 1 and July 1 of each year thereafter, each electric and natural gas distribution company program administrator and any entity that receives public subsidy and provides energy efficiency services shall submit the data identified in section (f)(1) to the department of energy resources.

(g) Energy Efficiency Program Database. The department of energy resources shall establish and maintain a database to store and manage the data.

(h) Statewide Weatherization Goals. The department of energy resources will establish statewide goals to weatherize 100 per cent of residential homes and 50 per cent of the businesses in Massachusetts by 2025 and establish benchmarks for equitable access to energy efficiency program benefits.

(1) The department of energy resources shall establish annual benchmarks for reaching the statewide goals and providing equitable access to historically harder-to-reach segments, including, but not limited to, residential rental properties, low and moderate-income homeowners and renters (those earning up to 120 per cent state median income), communities whose primary language is not English, and small commercial businesses, which may not be participating at rates commensurate with the funds that they are paying into the programs as ratepayers.

(i) Not later than January 1, 2014 and every January 1 of each year thereafter, the department of energy resources shall provide a report demonstrating whether energy efficiency programs are reaching ratepayers and buildings equitably, and progress towards reaching the statewide weatherization goals.

(ii) For purposes of this subsection, weatherize means: the practice of protecting a building and its interior from sunlight, precipitation, and wind, and of modifying a building to reduce energy consumption and optimize energy efficiency.

(iii) The department of energy resources shall promulgate regulations to implement the requirements of this legislation within twelve months following passage of this legislation.

(iv) Any entity receiving energy efficiency funds to employ people that will implement each electric and natural gas plan shall:

(A) Collect data on jobs created and demographic information about who is hired.

(B) Adopt targeted hiring goals.

(C) Require inclusion of responsible employer language in all state requests for proposals and contracts.

(D) The secretary of labor and workforce development and department of energy resources shall submit within 6 months after passage of this legislation, a report to the energy efficiency advisory council and department of public utilities, detailing the energy efficiency and green industry workforce development needs in the state. The report shall include recommended legislation to implement the proposed plan on a long-term basis.

(E) For purposes of this subsection, a responsible employer shall mean an employer that complies with all workplace laws and criminal offender record information requirements, provides fair wage and benefits levels, properly classifies workers, implements local and targeted hiring requirements, and abides by comprehensive safety and health plans.

(F) The Massachusetts department of energy resources and department of labor, with input from the Massachusetts clean energy center, shall adopt regulations to implement the requirements of this legislation within 12 months following passage of this legislation.

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